People living in Longford have grilled representatives from Coventry City Council about the contentious parking scheme drawn-up for match-days at the Ricoh Arena.

Coventry City FC will be playing at their new home at Rowleys Green off the A444, at the beginning of August.

More than 80 residents went to last night's Longford Community Forum meeting to discuss the parking scheme put forward by the council and stadium bosses.

It is the third time people from the area have been given the chance to make their feelings known about the plan, and once again so many turned out that the meeting had to be held in a bigger venue than normal - St Thomas Church, in Hurst Road.

Margaret Turbitt, from Vinecote Road, Longford, said: "Clearly the stadium is a beautiful place, but we are going to suffer and our houses are going to fall in value because of it.

"Thousands will be coming and parking around where I live, and I think nothing has been done since the last meeting.

"We don't have a car, but it's vital to me that my daughter is able to come and visit."

John McGuigan, the council's director of city development, outlined proposals concerning the residents' permit scheme.

He said: "Coventry City Football Club will play 25 games at the Ricoh Arena each season.

"We are proposing that every household within the permit zone is given 25 free parking tickets to give to their friends and family, which should solve the problem.

"This is not meant to be a fight between residents and football fans."

Mr McGuigan said application forms for the permit scheme - one pass per car - should be going out to households in Longford, Foleshill and Holbrooks in a fortnight.

Cllr Val Stone (Ind, Longford) said: "I'm worried about handing out 25 visitors' permits because there are certain people that will abuse the system and take back-handers from football fans.

"I would like to see that figure reduced. We don't want to see the parking problems at Highfield Road exported to Longford."

Mr McGuigan promised that the permit zones would be "blitzed" by traffic wardens when the new season kicks off, in order to send out a clear message to drivers who park illegally - a point to be rammed home with a £60 parking fine.